The preview of the Challenge Cup final between Gloucester and Sharks

The Sharks for history, because they would be the first South African team to win a European cup. Gloucester to return among the greats, after many seasons not living up to its history. This Challenge Cup final means a lot for both teams, who cannot miss an opportunity like this. Tonight in London – Tottenham Stadium – Gloucester and Sharks take to the pitch, live streaming on EPCR TV at 9pm.

The Sharks are coming off a season that is difficult to describe: a disastrous start that can only partly be attributed to the absence of the world champion Springboks, a dressing room that was close to imploding and a concreteness found only in recent months, despite some declines mental still worrying. However, Etzebeth and his teammates are aware of how fundamental the London final is, and they have the experience to play such matches. The South Africans reached the final by beating Clermont in a daring match, where they were as close to winning as they were to losing, resolving it with a try from Mapimpi 10 minutes from the end and with kicks from a perfect Masuku.

Read also: Where to watch the Champions League and Challenge Cup final live streaming

Gloucester was the only team (excluding the derelict Newcastle) never to have been in the running for the Premiership playoffs, which remained wide open until the final day. And in recent years it has never managed to return to its pre-pandemic glories, when it reached 3 Challenge Cup finals (winning one) in 4 years. The Skivington team, once they learned that there was nothing they could do for the championship, bet everything on the cup, to the point of losing 90-0 against Northampton in a match that at that point no longer counted for anything. The English reached the final by beating Benetton in a dominated match, perhaps one of their best performances of the season, in which they managed to trap the green and whites and take advantage of every mistake they made.

Many champions on both sides. Gloucester fields Santiago Carreras at fullback, with Adam Hastings at opener flanked by Englefield in midfield. Stephen Varney starts from the bench. Obviously keep an eye out for the usual Jonny May, who knows how to be decisive in such important matches. The Sharks bring out their best Springboks version: devastating first line with Nchè, Mapimpi and Kock, while captain Etzebeth will lead the throw-in and the package from the second line. In Am’s absence, the Sharks move Hooker to second center with Venter 12, but pay attention above all to the talented midfielder Siya Masuku and the stainless Mapimpi, already match winner of the semi-final.

London could also be Aphelele Fassi’s night: talented, strong, but so far far from the Springboks shirt (only 3 caps in 2021), a shirt that could also arrive this summer, but everything will depend on him. On the other hand, all eyes are on Zach Mercer, author of a great season and leader of a team that has struggled a lot but in which he has always been among the best.

Challenge Cup: the teams for the Gloucester-Sharks final

Gloucester: 15 Santi Carreras, 14 Jonny May, 13 Chris Harris, 12 Seb Atkinson, 11 Ollie Thorley, 10 Adam Hastings, 9 Caolan Englefield, 8 Zach Mercer, 7 Lewis Ludlow (c), 6 Ruan Ackermann, 5 Arthur Clark, 4 Freddie Clarke, 3 Fraser Balmain, 2 Seb Blake, 1 Jamal Ford-Robinson

Available: 16 Santi Socino, 17 Mayco Vivas, 18 Kirill Gotovtsev, 19 Albert Tuisue, 20 Jack Clement, 21 Stephen Varney, 22 Max Llewellyn, 23 Josh Hathaway

Sharks: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Werner Kok, 13 Ethan Hooker, 12 Francois Venter, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Siya Masuku, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Phepsi Buthelezi, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 James Venter, 5 Gerbrandt Grobler, 4 Eben Etzebeth (c ), 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ox Nche

Available: 16 Fez Mbatha, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Hanro Jacobs, 19 Lappies Labuschagne, 20 Dylan Richardson, 21 Cameron Wright, 22 Curwin Bosch, 23 Eduan Keyter

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